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Consumption and Consumerism
“Today’s consumption is undermining the environmental resource base. It is exacerbating inequalities. And the dynamics of the consumption-poverty-inequality-environment nexus are accelerating. If the trends continue without change — not redistributing from high-income to low-income consumers, not shifting from polluting to cleaner goods and production technologies, not promoting goods that empower poor producers, not shifting priority from consumption for conspicuous display to meeting basic needs — today’s problems of consumption and human development will worsen.

… The real issue is not consumption itself but its patterns and effects.

… Inequalities in consumption are stark. Globally, the 20% of the world’s people in the highest-income countries account for 86% of total private consumption expenditures — the poorest 20% a minuscule 1.3%. More specifically, the richest fifth:

Consume 45% of all meat and fish, the poorest fifth 5%
Consume 58% of total energy, the poorest fifth less than 4%
Have 74% of all telephone lines, the poorest fifth 1.5%
Consume 84% of all paper, the poorest fifth 1.1%
Own 87% of the world’s vehicle fleet, the poorest fifth less than 1%
Runaway growth in consumption in the past 50 years is putting strains on the environment never before seen.”

Right now, Congress is debating a law that would give them the power to censor the world’s Internet — creating a blacklist that could target YouTube, WikiLeaks and even Avaaz! Now if we stand with key members of Congress, we can defeat this attempt at global Internet censorship. Click here and help build a national outcry callingfor a free and open Internet:

Right now, Congress is debating a law that would give them the power to censor the world’s Internet— creating a blacklist that could target YouTube, WikiLeaks and even groups like Avaaz!

Under the new law, our government could force Internet providers to block any website on suspicion of violating copyright or trademark legislation, or even failing to sufficiently police their users’ activities. And, because so much of the Internet’s hosts and hardware are located here in the US, their blacklist would clamp down on the free web for all of us in Americaand millions across the world.

We only have days before the vote but we can help stop this — champions in Congress want to preserve free speech and tell us that a global outcry would strengthen their hand. Let’s urgently raise our voices from every corner of America and join Avaaz members across the world to build a massive call urging our decision makersto reject the bill and stop Internet censorship. Click below to sign and then forward as widely as possible— our message will be delivered directly to key members of the US Congress ahead of the crucial vote:

For years, our government has condemned countries like China and Iran for their clampdown on Internet use.But now, the impact of these new censorship laws could be far worse — effectively blocking sites not only in the US but also to every Internet user across the globe.

Last year, a similar Internet censorship bill was killed before reaching the Senate floor, but it’s now back in a different form. Copyright laws already exist and are enforced by courts. But this new law goes much further — granting the government and big corporations enormous powers to force service providers and search engines to block websitesbased just on allegations of violations — without a trial or being found guilty of any crime!

Free speech advocates have already raised the alarm, and some key Senators are trying to gather enough support to stop this dangerous bill. We have no time to lose. Let’s stand with them to ensure our lawmakers preserve the right to a free and open Internet as an essential way for people in the US and around the world to exchange ideas, share communication and work collectively to build the world we want. Sign below to stop censorship, and save the Internet as we know it:

In the past months, from the Arab Spring to the global Occupy Movement, we’ve seen first hand how the Internet can galvanize, unify and change society. Now, if we stand together, we can stop this new attack on Internet freedom. We’ve done it before — in Brazil and Italy, Avaaz members have won major victories in the fight for a free Internet. Let’s mobilize here in the US to defeat the most powerful censorship threat that the Internet has ever seen.

With hope,

Luis, Dalia, Diego, Emma, Ricken, Aaron, Antonia, Benjamin and the rest of the Avaaz team

We’re entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way.

Avaaz.org is a 10-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people shape global decision-making. (“Avaaz” means “voice” or “song” in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 13 countries on 4 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz’s biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Athens Clashes LIVE: RT at Greece massive protest showdown

First video of Athens night clashes as Greece fights austerity

Thousands of protesters have marched in the Greek capital Athens at the start of a two-day general strike, as parliament prepares to vote on sweeping new austerity measures designed to stave off a default that could trigger a crisis in the wider eurozone.
Police were deployed in force in central Athens on Wednesday as protest marches began, blocking a road by parliament and shutting down two nearby metro stations.
At least 3,000 officers were stationed around the city, with additional forces guarding possible targets of violence such as embassies and government buildings.
Most of the country’s professional classes joined the walkout, including civil servants, tax collectors, doctors and teachers.

Taxi owners, petrol station operators and bakers also shut down their businesses in protest against the government’s economic policies.
Flights were grounded in the morning after air traffic controllers staged a 12-hour work stoppage.
Piles of rubbish continued to fester on street corners despite a civil mobilization order issued on Tuesday to order rubbish collectors back to work after a 17-day strike.
Civil servants have staged rounds of sit-ins at government buildings, with some, including the finance ministry, being under occupation for days.
“We expect that the strike could be the largest” in decades, Ilias Vrettakos, deputy president of the civil servants’ union ADEDY, said.
“The fact that other sections of society that are suffering from government policies are also participating gives a new dimension to the social resistance by workers and the people in general, and we hope that this mobilization will have an impact on political developments.”

I AM NOT MOVING – Short Film – Occupy Wall Street

This may be the most powerful video yet to come out of the Wall Street occupation, now heading into its fifth week. It strongly and artfully suggests a comparability between the U.S. government’s response to the nationwide protests and those of regimes challenged by the Arab Spring. —ARK

“Want to make a change, to save the world? Learn what needs to be saved, but more importantly…… what needs to change.” www.zeitgeistmovie.com

Hartmann: If Obama Doesn’t Want to Lead the Revolution – Young People Will

Anonymous: Occupy The Planet

This is the revolution that they – and even older Americans – hoped for when Barack Obama pledged to “fundamentally change the United States and the world” when he was elected President in 2008. But so far – this pledge has been unfulfilled. Turns out – Barack Obama was not that much of a revolutionary. But ultimately – it was never about him – it was about us – and in particular it was about the young people – because all revolutions – even Reagan‘s – don’t originate from one man – they originate from the people – from the bottom up. From Jefferson to Lincoln – and from FDR to Reagan – these men who presided over great changes in America didn’t create revolutions – they simply seized control of a nation pregnant with revolution and oversaw the transformation – and in some cases guided it. If President Obama discovers his inner revolutionary and steps forward with that voice and message and behavior, he’ll get re-elected – and then he will have to carry forward with a revolution. On the other hand, if President Obama doesn’t want to be a revolutionary – if he doesn’t want to take on the banksters – if he doesn’t take on and actually reverse Reagan’s counter-revolution – that’s fine – because the young people assembled in Manhattan – and all over the nation – will.
It’s already started…